Don't Forget Who's Taking You Home PREVIEW
by tigerlilystar
Summary: Beauty. Intelligence. Wits. She had it all. Once. Now, she's just a prisoner. Will one person be able to help her escape her golden cage? And will she put aside their differences from the past to accept his help? HGDM oneshot


**Disclaimer: **_None of this is mine… well, except for the plot, I guess. Characters are all J.K.Rowling's. _

**A/N: Hello dear readers! Wow, it's been a LONG while ever since I last posted something. I guess you could say life has taken its toll on me and I've been pretty busy dealing with stuff. **

**However, here is one fic that is meant for those girls out there who are in a relationship they don't know how to get out of. Remember: you always have a choice. And you don't always need a Prince Charming to free you. That, you can do yourself.**

**Enjoy!**

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**(A/N: I'm really sorry about this, but I had no idea whatsoever how to start this fic so it won't be boring, so… for now, this will be a gap. Basically, what happens is Hermione is living with Krum and they get this letter inviting them to a Hogwarts' ball, two years after Hermione has graduated. Preparations, etc., take some of the time, then finally, they arrive at Hogwarts.**

**Don't worry, I will fill this gap eventually, and even turn this fic into a two or three chapters one. For now, though, this is what you get. My apologies to all.)**

He no longer seemed to be fazzled by her beauty as he walked among his friends, dangling her at his arm. When an old friend of his asked to dance with her, Viktor easily agreed. But just before she left his side, he whispered in her ear coldly, "Don't forget who you're coming home with, 'Mione."

Blinking back her tears, Hermione looked up at him and wondered _"How could I have ever loved him?" _She nonetheless took the hand of the guy inviting her and stepped on the dance floor. Before long, she was prisoner of his arms and of the subtle insults he was whispering in her ear.

Hermione didn't react to them, however. All she could to was close her eyes and imagine she was back at Hogwarts, with Harry, Ron, Ginny and everyone else who had always cared about her.

Hours later, her mood had gone worse. She had seen Viktor groping a beautiful brunette in front of his friends, and could now see her sitting on his lap. Her eyes had long since gone dry, and she had lost the count of how many purebloods she had danced with. Luckily, she thought, Harry and Ron weren't there.

Suddenly, her current partner was being whisked away and she found herself in strong, comforting arms such as she hadn't known for a long while. She could smell a faint scent of lemon and male strength, but she didn't dare look up in her partner's face. Not until he spoke, at least.

"Good evening, Granger. Why, when I saw you here I couldn't believe my eyes. The reclusive Hermione Granger, finally agreeing to go to a social event? This could only mean something important was up."

Hermione's breath caught in her throat as she immediately stopped dancing and looked up at her partner. "Malfoy? Draco Malfoy?' she whispered.

"The one and only," was his smug response, and yet she thought she had detected a hint of kindness in his voice that had once been so cold. "Keep dancing, Granger, I don't want Krum to notice we're talking."

For a second, it didn't register, and Hermione started dancing again. But then, the sound of his voice, the hatred in it, made Hermione shiver ever so slightly. Draco's hands on her waist caught the shiver, and he whispered, "Are you cold?" His voice was so gentle it made Hermione's eyes teary yet again.

"No. Just… shaken," was all she could manage to say.

Draco pulled her closer to him, as if to communicate his strength and warmth to her. Then, he was silent. It seemed to Hermione he was waiting for her to say something.

"It wasn't… it wasn't my choice to be reclusive, Malfoy."

A sound half-way between a groan and a grunt escaped his throat, and he said lowly, "No, I don't suppose it was. Granger, I know what Krum has done to you. And whether you believe it or not, the sole purpose of my presence here is to help you escape."

"I have nothing to escape, Malfoy," was Hermione's answer. She couldn't let him do this… He had been her enemy, but no matter how much she wished for his help right now, she couldn't accept it.

His hiss made her start so badly that she had, once again, stopped dancing. Draco's fingers in her skin forced her to move again, and she whimpered against his chest. Instantly, his grip loosened.

"What happened to you, Granger? Did Krum really bury you deep inside? Are you no more than an empty shell?" Draco whispered to her, gentle once more, as he guided her across the dance floor.

Hermione closed her eyes, then buried her head in his shoulder to stop the tears from flowing and ruining her make-up. Viktor wouldn't like that now, would he? "Please don't do this..." she whispered back. "Don't make me realize how wrong I've been. I'm not ready for that yet."

His grip on her tightened, and he said, "Take your time, Granger. When you're ready, I'll help you. But don't let this evening end."

Unknown to the two of them, a pair of cold brown eyes was watching them gliding across the dance floor jealously. With a swore under his breath, Viktor pushed the brunette in his lap and furiously advanced to Hermione and Draco.

Just as Draco was about to tell Hermione something, she was yanked away from his arms and he was pushed away from her. His steely gray eyes met Viktor's blazing ones.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? That little slut isn't worth losing the purity of your blood over her! What's happened to you, Malfoy?"

Draco's jaw clenched, and he glanced at Hermione. She looked away in a helpless gesture.

Suddenly, Draco realized that if he wanted to help Hermione, she had to help herself first. He met Viktor's gaze with his own, then smiled tightly. "You're right, Krum. But she is gorgeous, and I'm feeling slightly lonely tonight. Pansy had... other stuff to do."

Krum narrowed his eyes, obviously not knowing what to think.

"Since the mudblood doesn't need her wand anymore," Draco went on smoothly, wincing inside at his cruelty and Hermione's start, "may I have a look at it? I always thought there was something suspicious about the way she was so smart and all."

Viktor's expression eased and he smirked coldly. "Be my guest," he said, and he gave Draco Hermione's wand at once. The ex-Slytherin twirled it with his fingers, then walked away and yelled over his shoulder, "I'll give it back before the end of the evening."

As he was gone, Viktor turned to Hermione. At once, his eyes became cold. "I gave you everything, and this is how you repay me? You little slut, you're nothing more than an unworthy mudblood!"

His slap was heard throughout the hall, and everyone stopped dancing. Even the music stopped. And somewhere, only meters away, Draco closed his eyes and bit back his tears of helplessness.

Slowly, he turned around, and through the circle starting to form around them, he saw Hermione on her knees, and Viktor standing before her. He spit at her, and she looked away.

She could do nothing.

And yet... something was starting to stir up inside of her. Draco's words had started singing a melody so sweet to her it was her giving something... she hadn't possessed for years. Courage. The courage to break free from her golden cage.

She looked up from the floor to the man she had once loved, and thought herself weak and stupid. Where had the bright student gone to? Now, she was just a toy in his hands. But that was about to change.

As Viktor turned around and started to walk away, a distasteful smile on his lips, Hermione met the gray eyes in the middle of the crowd... They gave her the strength she needed, and she got up, gracious yet again, as if the slap had never happened. Of a strong and clear voice, she said, "Walking away, Viktor? Now that is just rude."

The Quidditch player turned around, surprised etched on his face, not believing his eyes on what he saw. Hermione Granger was back. He could only remain still as the witch turned to Draco in the crowd and held up her hand. He threw her wand instantly, and she turned to face Viktor, a cold look in her eyes, her voice icy as she said, "It's time for my payback, Krum."

The wand in her hand, she looked at his face distastefully and smirked. "I've waited long enough for it."

"What do you think you're doing, Hermione?" Krum hissed.

She pointed her want at him and, filled with all her hate for him, thought as hard as she could, _"Stupefy! Expelliarmus!"_

"You think you can live by yourself? Don't kid yourself, Mione, all you've ever wanted has happened to you. You. Aren't. Worth. Anything. Without. Me!"

She raised her head that had been bowed and her burning eyes bore into his. Suddenly, two jets of light –one red, one silver– left her wand and hit Krum straight in the chest, sending him flying backwards into a wall.

A gasp was heard among the lines of people as Hermione had just performed wandless magic with no strain at all.

Hermione was breathing heavily, taking in what had just happened. She started as she heard a soft voice calling, "Granger?"

She turned to Draco, whose eyes were watching her carefully. Suddenly, she smiled at him. "Hermione, Draco. Just Hermione."

His face was brightened by his smile, and suddenly he was holding her in his arms, for once free to make his own decisions.

And Hermione couldn't have been happier.

But just then, Krum got up and yelled, "Hermione, you belong to me!"

She left Draco's arms and turned to face him, but Draco suddenly grabbed her hand. He got his own wand out. He walked to Krum in three steps and pointed it to his throat, while whispering to him.

No one heard what was said, but Krum's eyes flashed at Draco's words. Suddenly, they got a scared gleam in them, and Krum nodded curtly. Then, with one last hating look to Hermione, he turned around and left the hall.

Draco watched him until he was out of sight, then he turned to Hermione. The crowd around them was starting to go back to their own stuff and dancing. Draco then pulled Hermione to him and simply said, "He's never going to bother you again. I swear."

Hermione only nodded, then smiled to him as their lips met in a long-awaited kiss. When they pulled apart, Draco rested his forehead against hers and whispered, "I'm sorry it took me so long to realize my feelings."

She smiled back at him. "I think I can forgive you. But…" She whispered something in his ear and he smiled at her. "Deal."

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_Well, that's it for now. A pretty long preview if you ask me, but then again, this is a fic I'll have to finish soon. _

_If you want some previews to fics that will be posted in the (hopefully) near future, take a look at my profile under "Stories to come" and you can see some previews there._

_Review on your way out!_

_Tigerlilystar_


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